- 2 - been running roughly in favor of AMERICA FIRST. typical excerpts:

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1 "IN ~RAJICE OF HIM" ' J INTRODUCTION There are certain deadlines built into ~ weekly schedule. One of them has to do with having a sermon title and a Scripture passage for the Sunday bulletin by nine o 1 clock every Friday morning. If I don 1 t have it, I'm in trouble - with the secretary and with ~self. I didn't make that deadline on Friday of this week. I didn't have a sermon title by nine, or by ten, or even by eleven. The day was getting away from me. However, by noon I had something for her so that she could proceed with the typing of the Sunday bulletin. It's what I privately call an "umbrella" title. It gave me an adequate cover for what I might feel led to put under it. I knew in my mind and in ~ heart that I wanted to tie in to the celebration of World Cormnunion Sunday, and also to bring in the National Day of Prayer for the Boat People. DEVELOPMENT To my way of thinking, these two observances come together quite easily. The celebration of World-wide Communion. "This is My body, broken for you. Take. Eat. Do this in remembrance of Me". The healing hands of our Lord stretching around the entire world. The plight of the Vietnamese Boat People, and of refugees fleeing Cambodia and Laos - surely the greatest human crisis of our decade. A statement issued in late August by a coalition of Catholic, Protestant and Jewish leaders expresses the enormity of this tragedy. Let me share it with you. "A sense of urgency and deep outrage is developing throughout the United States in reaction to the drownings of innocent men, women and children; boats being pushed to sea; refugees drifting in unfriendly waters looking for safe havens; forcible repatriation and reprisals. Refugee experts estimate that between 50 and 70 percent of these Indochinese will perish within the next few months. About 200,000 boat people have already drowned in the South China Sea. Some 70,000 persons are now arriving in Asian camps every month. At this rate, there will be a half million refugees in the camps by late September, and over a million a year from now." World Communion. A Day of Prayer for the Boat People. This will be an empty day, a meaningless day, a day blackened by cruelty, indifference and hypocrisy, if those who kneel at the Table of Our Lord to remember Him do not rise from the Sacrament with a deepened commitment to go out and do the work He would have us do in His name. And yet, I fear that many who bear His name and who receive the bread and cup "in remembrance of Him" will not be moved. A STORMY ISSUE One senses that for some the Boat People is a stormy issue, Three weeks ago, DEAR ABBY had a column devoted to this issue. She writes: "Dear Readers: AMERICA FIRST wrote to say tbat we in the US were foolish for taking in the 'boat people'. I disagreed. Judging from the passionate response from my readers, I touched a raw nerve in a very nervous nation. ~ mail has

2 been running roughly in favor of AMERICA FIRST. typical excerpts: Some FOR THE CHRISTIAN I find that deeply disturbing. One person out of two hundred is willing to respond. For the Christian, the answer is clear. It's there in the New Testament. Jesus said, 11 Come. Follow Mett. I find that passage of scripture that Karen read earlier to be helpful in letting me see what's involved in following Jesus on this issue. I wish you would turn to that passage once again. It's there on page 861. It's called ''Judgement of Nations". It doesn't take a seminary education to catch the point that Jesus was making. Our ttmarehing orders" are quite clear. Please keep your Bibles open to that page and read through those verses (31-46) as tbe bread and cup are being distributed this hour. I think that each in his own way must come to terms with this passage and make a personal response to the claims of Christ. "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these 11\Y brethren, you did it to me." PRESENT THIS HOUR Present this morning to make visible to all of us what it means to be a refugee in t~ s world is our dear friend, Hoang, who came in to our lives after the fall of Saigon three years ago. His friendship has enriched our lives. I often feel that we have received back from Hoang far more than we have given him. He came here as a single young man, in his early twenties, speaking no English, homeless - with nothing but a great spirit, an enormous will and lots of faith. Now married, father of an infant daughter, Hoang is a student at St. John 1 s University, on his way to becoming a pharmacist. We would like to invite Hoang to share what is on his heart this morning and after he finishes, I would invite Janet Ernst to offer a prayer she has written in keeping with this special Day of PrJYer for the Boat People. Jan is a member of the Vietnamese Friends Committee of our Church and is also an active participant with Concerned Christians for the Boat People which started in this Church and which has called for this Day of Prayer across the country. CLOSING As the rays of the sun fall upon the revolving earth, the celebration of World Communion has moved westward from the islands of the Pacific, through southeast Asia, India, Europe, Africa, to America where Christians people - Catholic, Protestant, Eastern Orthodox - will meet at some hour this day to bream bread and take the cup. And even more impressive is the thought that for two thousand years - in catacombs, in chapels, open fields, in great cathedrals, in huge, modern stadiums, Christians have come together and through the breaking of bread and the taking of the cup brought to mind the Life and Love of Him in whom people have found the greatest revelation of God in human tenns. Him. Remembering Jesus - God's Son, we think of our personal relationship with Once you have felt His presence, you cannot remain the same. That re-

3 lationship leads us out of ourselves and 'into the lives of others. Yes, this will be an empty day, darkened by indifference and soiled by cruelty, if those who lmeel to receive the Sacrament do not depart with a stronger commitment to do His work - LET US PRAY To find the lost, To heal the broken, To feed the hungry, To release the prisoner; To rebuild the nations, To bring peace among brothers, To make music in the heart. "0 Christ, who came among us to care for all sorts and conditions of people, help us to respond to human need. Lead us further along the way of compassion. Take us in hand when we begin to grow callous and indifferent and make us like Thee, who didst reach out to all people wi. th the love of God."

4 ANTHEM: "Cantique de Jean Racine" WORLD COMMUNION SUNDAY "0 Redeemer divine, our sole hope of sa1vation, Eternal Liqht of-the earth and the sky, we kne 1 in adoration, 0 Savior, turn on us Thy lovinq eye! Send down on us the fire of Thy grace all consuming, ~hose wondrous might dispersed the pow'rs of hell, and rouse our slumbering souls with Thy radiance, that they ma~' waken 'Ihy mercy to tell. 0 Christ bestow Thy blessing on us, we implore' Thee, who here are gathered on penitent knee; accept the hymns we chant to Thine eternal glory and these Thy gifts we return unto Theel" ORGAN POSTLUDE The organ postlude - a final offering of our praise to God - is played after the Benediction. We invite you to remain to share in the beauty of it. FOR THOSE t'lho SING ~ew members are always welcome in the choir. Rehearsals are held Wednesdays at 6: 15 in the downstairs Choir Room. CHRISTMAS CARDS Christmas cards are available again this year through the United Methodist l'iomen, -- Look. ov.er the selection at the coffee hour. Remember.there is no sales tax and one-half of the cost j.s tax deductible. Today is World Wide Communion~unday. As a part. of our celebration, we shall receive-a.special offering for which-envelopes are- in the pews. Your gift will go to strengthen the work of United Methodist. >' chapl'ains, ~cand. also provide- more -s-cholarship aid for.niinority students and Crusade scholars. ADULT CLASS A class for adults meets on Sunday mornings from 9:30 to 10:45 in Fellowship Hall. William Proctor serves _as leader. The class is beginning a study of,the Gospel of John... coffee is always available and new members most -welcome. AT THE COFFEE HOUR NEXT SUNDAY On display next Sunday in :.the.russell Room will be a number of arts and crafts items which we would like to have made for the All-Church -.Christmas Fair of Novern:t>.e-r T7 th. Ann Garrison Merckx is coordinating this project4nd invites you to take a look and see if ~here's anything you might wish to take horne and tackle for the Fair, NEW MEMBERS TO JOIN New members will be received into membership in late November. Persons interested in strengthening a tie with this Church this Fall are invited to speak.to-mr. Clarke.

5 PARK AVENUE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 106 East 86th Street New York. N. Y AT CH URCH DIRECTORY Rev. Phllip A. C. Clarke...,... Minister Dr. Harold C. _Metzner... Associate Minister, Emeritus Mr. Lyndon Woodside... Organist-Choir Director Mrs. Lynn D. Cohen....'... Secretary Mrs. Carol Lee Nespolc... Secretary Mrs. Judith Keisman... Day School Director Mr. Abdo Alnabam... Custodian GENERAL OFFICERS Lay Member, Annual Conicrencc...,... Mr. David Breien Lay Leader, The Church...:... Mr. William Proctor President. Board of Trustees... Miss Elody Hoelscher President. United Methodist Women... Mrs. Morton Delson Chairman, Administrative Board... Mr. Kenneth Pew Chairman, Council on Ministries Ms. Joyce Veenstra Chairman, Education Committce... Mrs. James Nespole Chairm~n, Finane~ Committee... ~. Edward J. Drown Chairman, Church Property Committee... Mr. Eric Smith Chairman, Member ship Committee... Miss Bonnie Bray Co-Chairmen, Day School Committee... Mr. and Mrs. Hughes Chairman, Ushers... Mr. Kenneth Barclay Coordinator, Adult Fellowship... Miss Doreen Surber PARK AVENUE

6 LAY READER WORLD COMMUNION SUNDAY October 7, 1979 ORDER OF WORSHIP 11 A. M. organ "Prelude, Fugue and Variation" Franck CALL TO WORSHIP HYMN NO. 26 "Holy, Holy, Holy l Lord God Almighty" APOSTLES' CREED (standing) No. 738 GLORIA PATRI No. 792 *** SCRIPTURE Matthew 25: PARISH CONCERNS ANTHEM "Cantique de Jean Racine" Faure PRESENTATION OF THE OFFERING l'i!th THE DOXOLOGY No. 809 HYMN NO. 111 "Come, Let Us, Who In Christ Believe" MEDITATION "In Remembrance of Him" Mr. Clarke *** THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION The Kyrie (Choir) The Invitation (!:o. 832) The General Confession The Prayer of Pardon The Prayer of Humtle Access The Agnus Dei The Partaking of the Elements The Prayer of Thanksgiving HYMN NO. 283 "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling" BENEDICTION ORGAN "Fugue on 'Kyrie' " Couper in *** Interval for Ushering We welcome Miss Karen Oldham as our Lay Reader today. A native of Olean, New York and a graduate of Keuka College, Karen is a student at NYU and also works for Don Travel Service. A member of the Choir, Karen enjoys music and also photography. ALTAR FLOWERS The flowers on the altar are _g.iv.en _to_the Glory of God and in gratitude by Grace and David Breien. AN INVITATION Coffee and tea will be served in the Community Room after the service. Members and friends are invited to share in these moments ol.wcu:mth made possible by fotrs. Carey, Mrs. Davis, Jennifer Davis, Dr. Garcia, Mrs. Maltby, Miss Schwnann and Mrs. Staempfli. USHERS The ushers today are Mr. Monge, Mr. Breien, Mr. Brown, Mr. Russell, Mr. Tingue and fott. Williams. CHURCH SCHOOL Sessions of Church School for children are held every Sunday morning from eleven to twelve. Classes meet on the upper floors as well as in the downstairs Russell Community Room. PICK UP YOUR COPY Be sure to pick up your copy of the October issue of "A Word In Edgeways". Copies are located in the narthex and in the Russell Community Room.